HARROGATE, Tenn. -- The Railsplitters (9-3, 4-2 SAC) look to carry the momentum from a signature win over a nationally-ranked opponent into the grind of South Atlantic Conference play on Wednesday night when they host the Mars Hill Lions (3-9, 1-5 SAC) at 8 p.m. inside of Tex Turner Arena.
 
Following a two-week layoff for the holidays, Lincoln Memorial returned to the court on Saturday and welcomed in the New Year with a 74-60 win over the No. 5 Bellarmine Knights. The Railsplitters dominated the defensive end in that contest, holding the fifth-best field-goal percentage offense in the country to 39.6 percent shooting, including a dismal 2-for-14 from three-point range. On the other end, LMU shot 49 percent from the field and managed to score 74 points despite converting just four of its 18 three-point attempts.
 
That standout defensive performance came in the wake of a 107-102 loss to Newberry on December 17, when the Wolves hit 20 three-pointers and went to the free throw line 31 times to snap the Railsplitters' five-game winning streak and 21-game home winning streak.
 
Luquon Choice (Laurens, S.C.) had a game-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting to go along with five rebounds, one assist and one steal to lead the Railsplitters against Bellarmine, while Chris Perry (Bartow, Fla.) tallied 14 points and six rebounds over 23 minutes of work. Dorian Pinson (Greenville, S.C.) and Cornelius Taylor (Claxton, Ga.) had nine points apiece, while Paul Woodson (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Trevon Shaw (St. Helena Island, S.C.) accounted for eight points each and combined for 13 rebounds off the bench.
 
The Railsplitters could be poised for another explosive offensive showing against Mars Hill, who enters Wednesday's contest looking to snap a five-game losing skid. The Lions fell to 1-5 in SAC play on Saturday with a 76-71 loss at the hands of the Carson-Newman Eagles. Mars Hill led 38-26 at the half, but was outscored 50-33 in the second half. The Lions converted just nine field goals over the final 20 minutes of regulation and eventually trailed by as many as 15 points late.
 
Mars Hill's lone SAC win was a surprising 90-88 victory over Wingate, who was picked to finish second in the preseason coaches poll but have stumbled out to a 2-4 start in league play. Other than that, the Lions have struggled mightily against SAC opponents with an 11-point loss to Anderson, a 20-point loss at Catawba, a 13-point setback at Newberry, a 28-point loss at Queens and that five-point loss to Carson-Newman during which they trailed by as many as 15.
 
The Railsplitters have been one of the most efficient and productive offenses in the country this season, averaging the 10th-most points per game (93.4) on the fifth-highest field-goal percentage (53.3). That trend bodes well against a Mars Hill team that is ranked 286th in the nation in points per game allowed with 85.8 and 227th in field-goal percentage defense by allowing 42.9 percent shooting. In addition to that, the Lions haven't fared well on the backboards, ranking 297th out of 306 teams in rebounding margin with a minus 8.2 disparity on the glass. In contrast, the Railsplitters lead the SAC and rank ninth nationally in rebounding margin with a plus 9.9 average.  
 
Mars Hill has struggled on the offensive end as well, averaging the second-fewest points per game in the SAC with 75.8 on the third-worst field-goal percentage with a 42.9 percent clip. The Lions are making just 32.5 percent of their three-point attempts, which is ranked 10th in the league, and are attempting a league-low 16 free throws per game. Things have gotten worse on that side of the ball as the season has progressed, too. After shooting 44.1 percent in six games in November, the Lions shot 41.7 percent in six games in December.
 
The Lions have a huge rotation as 10 players are averaging at least 9.5 minutes per game with a minimum of nine appearances this season.
 
6-4 sophomore guard Vernon Jackson and 5-10 point guard Bennett Wilson lead the Lions statistically. Jackson is contributing a team-high 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game on 44.4 percent shooting, while Wilson is putting up 11.6 points and 2.1 assists per game on 40.6 percent shooting. Luke Van-Rijn - a 6-5 swingman - is accounting for 7.8 point and 2.7 rebounds per game on 46.4 percent shooting. Finally, Valentin Bauer is posting 7.5 points and 6.5 assists per game on 46.7 percent shooting.
 
Lincoln Memorial leads the all-time series against Mars Hill 30-9 and has won 14 straight against the Lions. During that 14-game winning streak that dates back to February 2010, only one game - a 71-68 win in 2011 - was separated by fewer than 10 points.
 
The Railsplitters swept the regular-season series in 2015-16, winning 120-84 at Mars Hill before capturing a 95-72 victory at Tex Turner Arena. In that win in Harrogate, Lincoln Memorial shot just 42.9 percent and went 13-for-32 from three, but held the Lions to 36 percent shooting in a wire-to-wire victory. Choice had 25 points, while Emanuel Terry (Enterprise, Ala.) recorded 10 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
 
Tip-off between Lincoln Memorial and Mars Hill is set for 8 p.m. on Wednesday night at Tex Turner Arena. Live stats, video and audio links are available at www.LMURailsplitters.com.
 
Five things to watch against Mars Hill
1. Following Wednesday's game, the Railsplitters will begin a tough stretch that will send them on the road for six of their next eight games. That includes a trip to No. 3 and undefeated Queens on Saturday and Anderson, who sits at 4-2 in SAC play, next Wednesday.
 
2. Choice hit two three-pointers against Bellarmine and now needs just nine to match Carson-Newman's Ish Sanders for the SAC career record for three-pointers made (340). The Laurens, S.C. native has made 45 triples this season.
 
3. The Railsplitters hope to get Terry back on track. The 6-9 junior had double figures in six of the first nine games of the season and recorded five double-doubles over that span, but has struggled of late. He had just five points and six rebounds in 19 minutes against Newberry before putting in four points and four boards over 17 minutes against Bellarmine.
 
4. In SAC play, Mars Hill is averaging just 73 points per game on 41.5 percent shooting. The Lions have been held below 75 points in eight of their 12 games this season.
 
5. Mars Hill can be a bit pesky on the defensive end as the Lions are ranked fourth in the SAC and 28th in the nation in turnovers forced per game with 17.42.